Global Software Development Education: A Commercial Perspective from a Case Study

Universities are starting to offer courses in Global Software Development (GSD) as a way to prepare future practitioners for challenges found in organizational settings. Companies also provide GSD training especially to new recruits who might lack skills in how to effectively communicate with people from different cultures and different first languages. However this training is costly and not necessarily tailored to the specific needs of the organization or individual practitioner. With a focus on GSD education, we have developed a training framework based on simulation that addresses different kinds of GSD problems. The framework allows course leaders to design training scenarios to fit their precise needs for improved communication and cultural awareness. This paper presents a market-focused study aimed at discovering the requirements for a commercial GSD education tool. We studied the market options, identified key stakeholders, and conducted interviews with senior managers from three multinational companies. The study helped us to gain a deeper understanding of current training trends, needs and gaps according to key stakeholders. Finally, outcomes provided us with directions for future tool development. Results indicate that industry find cultural differences a more pressing problem than linguistic differences. Although industry tends to use traditional (classroom based) training methods for raising cultural awareness, they perceive that interaction simulation is a viable alternative. Performance and potential cost savings are key drivers for commercialising prototype tools. Conducting market-focussed research can help to ensure our future research is relevant, and meets the needs of industry.